The invention is directed to simulating physical effects of arthritis as part of an educational program.
A number of geriatric simulators have been developed to provide a hands on experience of the physical effects commonly associated with aging. Some such suits include the GERT Aging Simulation Suit, the Sakamoto Physical Limitations Simulation Suit, and the Virtual Dementia Tour from Second Wind Dreams. These simulators all use some form of glove to simulate arthritic effects on the hands.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,388,347 (Beville), assigned to Second Wind Dreams, goes into greater detail, disclosing a system for allowing a user to experience simulated effects of an age related condition comprising eyewear, handwear, footwear, and an audio recording. Beville discloses handwear such as “gloves, mittens, or other coverings for wearing on the user's hands”, designed to reduce the ability to feel or grasp and limit finger or hand movement. Beville further discloses use of protrusions which could be internal next to the skin or external between the glove and an object the user is interacting with, to introduce discomfort or pain while performing a task. Beville suggests that these protrusions could be changed to simulate different medical conditions.
There are many weaknesses in the system disclosed by Beville. Multiple sizes of gloves are required to fit varying hand sizes, and hand strength variations from person to person can result in very different experiences from one person to the next, such that one person may receive an overly harsh perception of an arthritic condition while another may walk away from the experience with a perception that an arthritic condition is but a modest nuisance. The nature of flexible fabric used in these gloves also means that the limiting factor upon the user's range of motion is imprecisely controlled.
Accordingly, a substantial need exists for an arthritic hand simulation implement that accommodates a range of student hand sizes and strengths, that provides a more controlled simulation of arthritic symptoms, and that enables the experience of multiple levels of impact during a simulation.